MANILA — The Commission on Elections is bringing back the voter's ID in the upcoming 2025 elections for the first time since 2018.

In a statement released on Monday, Comelec said the voter's ID will be in digital form and will be limited to overseas voters.

"Inaprubahan ng inyong Komisyon ang pagkakaloob sa kanila [overseas Filipinos] ng Digital Voter's ID nang sa gayon ay mapadali ang kanilang partisipasyon sa kauna-unahan nating internet voting sa darating na halalan," Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.

(The commission has approved the issuance of the digital Voter's ID [for overseas voters] to ease their participation in the pilot internet voting in upcoming elections.)

The digital voter's ID may serve as an alternative valid ID for those who do not have a Philippine Passport or Seafarer's Identification Record available.

"Baka pupwede magsimula man lang sa ating kababayan abroad. Kasi maliban sa kanilang passport, dapat meron silang nagagamit na valid ID. Ang naisip ho natin digital ID," Garcia told reporters on Tuesday.

(We thought maybe we could start with our countrymen abroad. Aside from their passport, they should have another valid ID they can use. What we thought of is the digital ID.)

The Comelec chairman said they are finalizing the guidelines that may be issued next week.

"Doon po sa mga gustong mag-apply, ipapadala po namin sa DFA , sa mismong embahada at konsulada 'yung digital ID niyo para pwede kayo makadaan po doon. Kung hindi naman, may ilalabas kaming website doon kayo magaapply and therefore doon namin idodownload at doon namin ipapabigay yung digital ID," he explained.

(For those who want to apply, they may do so at the DFA, their embassy and consulate if they can go there. But if they are unable to do so, we will launch a website where they can download and get their digital ID there.)

Overseas voters may also present the digital voter's ID when they pre-enroll for internet voting in the 2025 polls.

Pre-registration is from February 12,2025 to May 12, 2025.

Comelec discontinued the creation and distribution of the voter's ID in 2018 pursuant to Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act.

The poll body will introduce online voting for overseas voters in the 2025.

Comelec tapped SMS Global Technologies Inc. and Sequent Tech Inc. for the Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS) for the elections.

With the shift to online voting, the poll body hopes to see an increase in the number of registered OFW voters for the upcoming polls.